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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Mom's Surgery

Not the planned blog post but things turned out different than we had expected today.

My mother called this morning with another gall bladder attack. She had been up all night in terrible pain. She had an appointment with a doctor today in Houston (she lives two hours away) for a surgery consultation.

She drives to my house and by the time she gets here she is feeling better. Good! Instead of driving into the medical center I told her I'd take her on the Metrorail. No big deal. Wrong.

The Houston Rodeo is going on so they try to charge me $10 to park at the park and ride. I told the guy I wasn't going to pay it because I wasn't going to the rodeo. I'm trying to take my mom to the medical center on the metrorail and I've never paid $10 before. He let me park. :)

While buying our train tickets I left my favorite water bottle on top of the vending machine. Oh nooooo! Nothing I can do about it. I didn't realize it until hours later.

On the metrorail:

Doctor sees my mom and says he can do the surgery tomorrow! We had expected next week some time but she's anxious to get this out.

So after that doctor visit we go to pre-register. That took all day. Fortunately I brought protein bars. :D Still had very few calories.

They did tests and the EKG showed a previous heart attack that she has never been checked for but she does remember having at home. (she scares me sometimes) Then she tells the nurse that she forgot her blood pressure medicine at home. NOT GOOD!

At this point it's 4:30 so I run to the other end of the building to the prescribing physician who originally put her on the medication. The doctor is gone. But someone else calls in a prescription for the meds. Whew!

We finally get out of there a little after 5pm. Get home to drop off the van because Chuck has to take Rachel to set up for the dance tomorrow. Oh yes! Rachel has Gavel Club (like Toastmasters) and a dance tomorrow. And my mom is having surgery in the morning. Stress? Naaaaaah. LOL I did have a glass of wine tonight. ;-)

While picking up the meds at the pharmacy I find out that mom has been taking her thyroid meds incorrectly. She had been taking two of the same pill instead of one each of two different pills. At this point, I'm really worried about her. Love her to pieces but she is not thinking clearly. Way too careless.

I'm starving at this point. So we go to Mimi's cafe where I got before mentioned glass of wine and a balsamic chicken salad that was incredible. As hungry as I was, I couldn't eat the whole thing.

Do I even need to mention that I have not exercised today? It's ok. Things will work out and I'm glad she's getting the surgery so she won't be in so much pain.

My mom will be staying with us until Friday or Saturday. I can't remember. I do know that Chuck and I will be working from 1pm Saturday until 4:15pm Sunday at the Texas Independence Relay. I can tell you that by Sunday night I will be a zombie.

What a whiny post! Sorry guys. It must be because I'm tired.

How about some good news? My Glucophage crumbs did not kill me today. Yay!!!

More good news? My water bottle was in the same spot when I got back to the metrorail park and ride. YAY!!!! Love that water bottle. It will get a good cleaning tonight. :)

11 comments:

Oh my gosh, what a crazy day you had, and what a BUSY bunch of days ahead! I know your mom will be so relieved to not have that gallbladder pain - hope she is not too worried about the surgery. Will they keep her overnight in the hospital? And about her meds and not taking them right (and oh yes, the HEART ATTACK, which must have given you one, hearing about THAT!) - yikes. It's a lot to process, and I guess she needs a little more guidance on her meds than you realized. Things like this are eye-openers in a lot of ways.

I forgot that the big race was this weekend! Yes, you most likely will feel like zombies come Sunday, but hey, you're out there living life with gusto, and that's awesome!

Sending good thoughts your way for a successful surgery and easy recovery for your mom. Take care, my friend!

Wow--crazy day! I'm glad your mom is getting in for surgery ASAP. How scary about the heart attack! (My mom did that exact same thing...just makes me wonder what they think!) I hope the surgery goes well, sending good vibes to your mom and to you--it's stressful being the caretaker!

Love that you found your water bottle--and laughed when you talked about a good cleaning. lol I'd be the same way.

The reason you exercise isn't to have to exercise; it's to be able to handle the crazy days life throws at us with vigor and physical confidence. I hope your mom is feeling great real soon and God gives wisdom and skill to all her providers of health care. (I had to oversee both my parents health care and hospice care and my parents were not med savvy and the meds issues, oy vey, that's how it goes.)

I am tired just reading about your day Kelly! Hope your mom's surgery will go well.

The pill story with your Mom reminds me of my SIL's mother - she takes 20 pills a day and my SIL would spend an hour filling up her monthly pill container - only to have her mom dump the whole thing over telling her she isn't doing it right - ahh!

I would have needed 2 Xanax and the wine after such a day. Hope your MOM's surgery is as easy as my husband's. Although the heart attack was not treated, women often have these things and they think they are something else.

I have a niece,age 50, who said her boobs felt like they were on fire, but none of the pain like men have with heart attacks. Everytime I have indigestion OR A PAIN anywhere I wonder???!!!

I already am scheduling an ablation for A-Fib if these Arkie doctors ever get on the ball. IF NOT, I will be coming to Texas to Baylor Heart Institute soon..

So glad you are there for your Mom. We have no near relatives but if I get to Texas I have my adoptive and biological brothers and sisters + a number of aunts.

As a retired pharmacist taking meds right is the secret to successful outcomes from meds. I must admit I sometimes don't take my own advice. skipping doses is not wise, either.